


A Million Reasons Why

by zarabithia



Category: Avengers (Comic), Young Avengers
Genre: F/M, Porn Battle, Present Tense, age gap
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-07-01
Updated: 2009-07-01
Packaged: 2017-10-26 19:09:11
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 1
Words: 718
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/286858
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zarabithia/pseuds/zarabithia
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>There are a million reasons why Kate shouldn't be doing this. That doesn't actually stop her.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Million Reasons Why

**Author's Note:**

> Written for "age gap" prompt at Porn Battle.

There are probably a million reasons she shouldn't be here, Kate thinks, as she shifts her weight and allows the couch that smells slightly of old pizza and body sweat to hug the part of her body that Clint isn't touching.

The age gap, best personified by her half-empty bottle of coca-cola and his three-quarters empty bottle of beer sitting on the table next to the couch, is a great place to start. He's far too old for her, Eli's voice rings loudly in her head with the warning, though he had been speaking about Bucky at the time.

He really _is_ too old for her.

There's also the issue of Mockingbird. She isn't in the picture anymore, and the fact that Kate doesn't know anything beyond the gruff explanation that Clint offered is enough to count as a reason to stay away. "Things just weren't the same" tells her everything she needs to know, but leaves out so much that she _should_ know.

But she isn't offering herself to someone who is taken, and that is enough for Kate.

And then there is the issue of Eli - and Tommy - and half-promised, entirely awkward romance that might have been, and might _actually_ still exist between the two of them in his mind. Eli and Tommy, whose very male possessiveness and in-fighting over what should be her choice threaten to strangle her every bit as much as the over-reactive worrying of Billy and Teddy at her latest injury.

But Eli and Tommy want her to make a choice, and Kate does. It just isn't one of them.

And dammit, her arm is fine. She has told her team that repeatedly, yet it takes Clint's offer to prove it before anyone actually believes her.

Clint traces that arm, without any of Eli's hesitation or Tommy's impatience. It's a nice change of pace, and Kate's irritation that Clint is the first person to offer this in _this_ way makes her reach up with the arm he is not intent on stroking and remove her top.

Surprise covers his face, and then a cheeky grin, the kind that makes Kate uncertain whether she wants to smack him or kiss him. "Always liked a girl who knew what she wanted."

"Well, yeah. You dated Black Widow, didn't you?"

Clint shakes his head. "Been sharing stories behind my back, _Hawkeye_?" His hands move from her arm to her revealed skin. One hand undoes the scarf around her neck, while the other dances light, knowing touches against her skin. Kate lets him, on both accounts, and notes where the callouses on his fingers match up against where he would hold his bow and arrow.

Cassie has offered her lotion to keep the same thing from happening, but that was back before the Registration Act, back before the War, back before Cassie left.

Kate is suddenly glad she rejected the lotion, and is conscious of the fact that her fingers have callouses in many of the same places, as she pushes up encouragingly at the touch. "Your love life's kind of an open book, Hawkeye."

A soft chuckle, and Kate is struck with the urge to touch the stubble around his chin, but she worries it will disrupt the rhythm of his fingers, and she likes what his fingers are doing very much.

"Just the same, now's not really the time to bring up other lovers, Kate-girl." The unsnapping of her bra is incredibly loud, and it feels odd to continue talking after it.

"Like they aren't on our minds anyway," she says, then reaches forward to unsnap his jeans. It seems like an equal measure for her bra, and sex is supposed to be equal, her brain, otherwise useless today, tells her. Her heart is pounding louder in her chest than it ever has in battle, but she doesn't fumble. She is an _archer_ and she knows how to use her hands, dammit.

"You sure you want this, Kate?" His voice is tender as the scarf that is hanging haphazardly off the couch.

" _Yes._ " She reaches up then, and touches the stubble she'd wanted earlier. It's not as rough as expected.

It might be the quickness of her answer or the irritation in her voice, but it is the last time Clint asks the question.  



End file.
